Hamas is not going quietly ….
Israel and Hamas have traded accusations of ceasefire violations amid tensions over the flow of aid into Gaza and warnings that the humanitarian crisis in the devastated territory risks deteriorating further.
The ceasefire deal signed last week between Israel and Hamas raised hopes of a surge of humanitarian aid finally reaching the territory after two years of war, but most restrictions have remained in place, throttling the supply of desperately needed assistance.
Israeli officials said on Thursday that the Rafah crossing with Egypt would remain shut to individuals until Sunday at least – and may not open to humanitarian convoys at all. Aid agencies say opening Rafah, which has been controlled by Israel since May last year, is critical for bringing sufficient humanitarian assistance into the territory.
“We need more fuel to go into Gaza, we need more food, more medical equipment, medications, medics, doctors,” said Hanan Balkhy, the regional director for the WHO, echoing demands by international leaders for Israel to allow in a massive increase of aid.
Israel accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire agreement by failing to return the remains of deceased hostages. On Monday, Hamas returned the last 20 surviving hostages but handed back only nine of 28 deceased captives, saying it would need specialist recovery equipment to retrieve the rest from the ruins of Gaza.
US advisers working on the implementation of Donald Trump’s ceasefire deal, and the Red Cross, have said there are significant practical difficulties in recovering remains of hostages amid the devastation caused by Israel’s offensive during the past 24 months.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, said on Thursday he was determined to ensure Hamas handed back the remains of hostages still in Gaza, adding that the fight “is not over yet”. Speaking at a state ceremony for soldiers killed in the two-year conflict, Netanyahu said Israel would achieve all its war aims and that its enemies had “learned that anyone who lifts a hand against it will pay a heavy price”.
A senior Hamas official accused Israel of breaking the ceasefire by killing at least 24 people in shootings since Friday, and said a list of such incidents had been handed over to mediators. “The occupying state is working day and night to undermine the agreement through its violations on the ground,” he said….
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